101 Oneshot Challenge
by Wingflyer
Summary: I've heard that this was a good cure for writers block, so I'm going to attempt the challenge. Enjoy!  NOTE: Most fics are Vlad and Danny Father/Son fics
1. Double Standards

**N/A: K, so I've heard that this was a good cure for writers block. And I definitely need a cure, cause COE is going nowhere fast. Don't worry! I'm still working on it! Just really slowly.**

**Oh btw, this fic is based off of Nimrod the Author's fanfic ****Role reversal**** found here:**

**.net/s/7622445/1/Role_Reversal**

**Be sure to read it. It's really good!**

**Anyway, onward!**

**101 Oneshot Challenge**

**Double Standards**

Ever since I had gotten these powers, I have dreaded this scenario. It lurked in my mind like a wild animal, ready to emerge in my weakest moments to render me helpless with my fear. Jazz tells me that I shouldn't fear my own parents, but how can such a fear not exist? My parents are ghost hunters for heavens sake! They wouldn't bat an eye at cutting open Phantom. Danny Fenton however…well that's another question altogether isn't it?

My friends always told me not to worry; that they would never catch me. I mean, just look at my dads aim! He could never take me down! But even so, the uncertainty didn't leave me. And rightly so. It's been festering since I stepped out of that portal two years ago.

I pushed it away, convincing myself that if all else failed, I could reveal my secret before the worst occurred. The fear was never gone, but I convinced myself I could handle it.

I was wrong.

Eventually my worst fear did come to past. But I was not the victim.

Vlad was.

And unlike me, he didn't have his secret to fall back on. Revealing my secret in his situation might save me. Vlad revealing his own in such a state would only make his life worse. Whether they let him go or not.

He can't afford to let his secret get out under any circumstances. It would ruin him in more ways than one. Unless he somehow gets control of the entire world, he will take his secret to the grave.

I hadn't even meant to go down into the lab that night. In fact, I had just stopped by home after a ghost fight with Skulker so that I could grab an aspirin before going to the movies with Tucker.

I had tried to phase into my room first, only to find that my parents had put up the ghost shield to envelop the walls. So, grumbling angrily and holding the growing bruise on my head, I changed human in the ally and stumbled through the front door of Fentonworks, the hinges creaking ominously from having been busted in so many times.

I hadn't been too concerned by the shield; after all, my parents are ghost hunters. Its only natural that they put up the ghost shield. But I was a bit curious as to why they had bothered on such a normal Saturday night.

_Maybe they were just concerned about leaving the house unprotected while they go to a ghost convention._ I thought with a yawn, my steps automatically leading me to the kitchen. It was dark, and most of the lights were flicked off, so I turned them on as I walked through the living room. I was careful to watch what I was pressing so that I wouldn't accidentally do something that would cause goo to shoot out of one of the many inventions hidden in the walls. Trust me, It was a valid concern.

Eventually I made it to the kitchen without setting off anything. I hastily opened the high medicine cabinet, withdrawing a familiar bottle and trying to ignore my pounding headache. I had just been about to pour myself some water from the tap when I heard it. A sound unmistakable to me, as I hear it nearly every day.

A scream.

My first instinct when hearing such a sound was usually to spring into battle mode, but I knew better than to do so here. Even with my parents gone, it was still dangerous to try anything ghostly in our house.

Guessing it might be an escaped ghost from the portal, I set down the empty glass I had been holding and turned toward the basement door. I'm not sure what, but something seemed to demand that I be discreet. I crept forward, sliding open the door quietly and stepping down onto the first stair, closing the door behind me.

As I made my way down the stairs, I noticed sounds and light coming from the basement floor. A groan, liquid splattering, and voices. Slightly alarmed, I jogged down the remaining steps more quickly. Who would be in the lab? A ghost with a suicide wish? Surely whatever it was knew that this house was mine and wouldn't dare challenge me!

The sight that awaited me in the basement will haunt me forever.

My parents had returned from the convention early, which I now realized had been merely a distraction, plotted and planned by Plasmius so that he could get into our lab untouched. I never figured out how they had caught him, but I guessed that the running ghost shield had something to do with it.

Many shattered vials and scorch marks on the floor and walls gave further evidence to a struggle. Obviously Vlad hadn't come out on top due to the fact that he was now lying in ghost form, strapped to the examination table, his chest torn open and ectoplasm pooling in a dangerously large circle around his middle.

I froze in horror, my eyes moving from my archenemy to my parents that were standing over him, their backs to me. Their hands poked and prodded at the hybrids open chest cavity, talking openly and excitedly to one another.

"Lets get a sample of this Mads!" I heard my dad say. Mom nodded before firing up the bone saw on the stand at her right, which roared loudly as she lowered it to his unmoving form. I saw Vlad look up at her weakly, his gaze so weak and full of pain I don't think he even recognized her.

**"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"** I screamed, finally snapping out of my shocked state and running as fast as my legs could carry me. Mom and dad froze, looking at me over their shoulders in complete surprise. I shoved my dad out of the way, wrenching the bone saw from my mothers' hands and smashing it against the floor. I didn't look at them, too concerned about a certain half ghost to care about their reactions.

I beheld his condition with a knot of deep dread in the pit of my stomach. They had sliced through his pectorals and down his chest almost to his naval, the blue skin and muscles pulled back to reveal his chest cavity. As I was watching, a shaky breath wracked his open diaphragm. Some of the ribs had been split, and I could see his ghostly core, struggling to pump out glowing pink ectoplasm that just pooled at his sides. He took another shaking breath, his eyes closed as if asleep. I would think he were dead if it weren't for his tortured expression and shallow breaths. I heard dad say something in surprise, but I wasn't listening. I took Vlad's face in my hands, trying to force him awake by pulling my own close.

"Plasmius? Vlad? Vlad! Wake up Vlad!" I begged him fearfully, panic swirling in my mind. His eyes flickered for a moment before strong hands grabbed my shoulders and wrenched me away from his form. "No!" I screamed, trying to twist out of my fathers grip.

"Danny-boy! Stop!" Dad begged, trying to pull me away from the elder halfa. I panicked, fighting against his grip with everything I had and more.

"No! Let go of me! What-what are you-How-" My mother joined the fray, trying with my dad to pull me away from the man who needed my help. As they started to drag me to the basement door, I lost it. I phased myself from their hands, running back towards Plasmius. I stood my back to him protectively, my hands fisted at my sides.

"Fix him right now!" I demanded, taking a defiant stance, my legs apart as if I were going to use my ghostly wail. My parents exchanged a confused and worried glance, mom stepping toward me slowly.

"Danny, sweetie, calm down. He's just a ghost, there's nothing-" she tried to soothe me. I tensed, squaring my shoulders as my anger grew with her words. Betrayal colored my voice as I screamed back.

"Don't you tell me to calm down!" I roared, the room literally trembling from the power of my betrayed wail. "You're supposed to be scientists, not psycho murderers! Don't touch me! Fix him right **now**!" I growled, pulling myself from mom's outstretched hand. Her expression was pleading, but for once, it didn't faze me in the slightest.

"Danny-" she started, but I silenced her with a glare.

"NOW!" I roared. Not letting them refuse, I raced back to my enemies side, holding his large gloved hand in mine. I looked at my parents stubbornly, commanding that they hurry. They seemed almost afraid, but of my behavior or me I didn't know or care. Wordlessly, dad made his way obediently to the opposite side of the table. He looked at mom with an oddly begging look in his eyes, and she followed him.

Neither of them said a word as they started to put him back together, folding the sliced flesh back into place over his ruined chest. Vlad groaned, his eyes still closed in his semiconscious state. I squeezed his hand, trying to talk him through the pain.

"You're going to be fine Vlad! Just hold on!" I pleaded, trying to convince myself as much as him. "Just hang on Vlad, please don't die! You can't leave me alone!"

I could feel my parent's gazes drilling holes into my back, but they didn't say a word. I ignored them, focusing solely on the dying person before me. At that moment I didn't care about our past, I only wanted him to be ok. He had to be ok! He couldn't leave me lone as the only halfa in existence!

"Vlad, don't die, please don't die, they're putting you back together now, it'll be fine just hold on okay? They're almost done, I swear, Damn it I can't believe this-" I ranted, trying to keep him and myself distracted. As I watched he squinted his eyes halfway, looking straight at me.

"Daniel..." he rasped out, his voice hoarse from screaming. I fell silent immediately, listening and praying that these wouldn't be his last words.

"Please..." he muttered between pants. "Shut...up."

At first the words took me by surprise. But sure enough, a strained smile appeared on my face.

"You're such a fruitloop." I whispered. A tight smile started on his own face and he tried to chuckle, only to end in a fit of coughing. Once he lay still, his eyes closed. At once I panicked, squeezing his hand tighter.

"No Vlad! Open your eyes! Stay with me!" I cried. And after another moment, he obeyed, opening his tired, ruby eyes a crack. "Just keep looking at me." I told him, my voice shaky. He blinked once slowly to acknowledge he heard me.

We had a silent exchange after that. I said nothing, continuing to hold his hand tightly as my parents slowly put him back together. As they stitched his skin, I could see glowing ectoplasm start to do its work, beginning to heal some of the broken muscles and bones even as I watched. But as fast as it was working, it still worried me. It takes me a good ten minutes to recover from those muscular injuries. But at this rate, It would take Vlad days to fully recover. Weeks including his broken ribs. It was a true testament of how weak he was.

As the final work to heal him was done by my parents, I saw the familiar calculative gleam returning to my rivals' eyes. He was weighing options: I could practically see the gears turning. No doubt he was wondering the same thing I was. How are we going to get him out of here? We can't let him stay here for much longer, or my parents will find some way to get me out of the picture and continue their experiment on him.

"Is he gonna heal okay?" I asked my parents coldly once they had fully stitched him, barely looking at them and avoiding their gazes. They exchanged a confused glance.

"Danny…it's just a ghost sweetie. He can't di-" Mom started. Oh hell no, she was not going to try and tell me that he's just a ghost and that cant die!

"_Is he going to heal correctly or not?" _I demanded, openly glaring to the point that my eyes were barely a shade from full out green. Dad's eyebrows raised at my tone, and he exchanged yet another glance with mom. This one was different. It had the same guarded, parental look that they gave me when I came home after curfew. They were going to take charge.

"He'll heal fine Danny-boy." Said dad gently, taking a step toward me. I flinched back into Vlad, holding his hand tighter.

My mixed emotions swirled within me, foremost being betrayal and anger. The very idea that my parents- _My Parents _– would do such a horrible thing to another being as they had done was incomprehensible. If they would and can do this to Vlad, what would they do to me? And would they even care if I told them that I was their own son?

I didn't know what to think. All I knew was that I had to get Vlad out of here. I could deal with my parents later. Right now, the man I called my arch-enemy is in danger. And despite my abilities as half ghost, I knew that I had to get him out of here as human. Mom and Dad would never let him go. His only chance is…well, me.

I looked down at the man behind me, his gaze meeting mine. In that simple glance, we both understood what I was about to do. Wordlessly, I pulled my hand from his and turned to my parents.

"Mom…Dad…" I started; hoping to tell them exactly how betrayed I felt. But once I started, I couldn't seem to get the right words out. I shook my head sadly, and in one fluid movement, I pressed the hidden button just behind me that freed the restraints.

Vlad was gone so fast I didn't see him leave the table. Knowing exactly where he was headed, I ran to the portal, ignoring mom and dads shouts behind me. Vlad was hovering, clutching his side and grimacing in pain before the locked doors. I didn't hesitate, throwing myself forward and pressing my thumb to the scanner.

In that moment our gazes met. Ghostly red and human blue. I'm not entirely sure what it was we exchanged. So many emotions confusedly intertwined in a single glance. There was one thing that I knew though.

This changed everything.

N/A: I regret nothing.


	2. Stormy Skies

**N/A: I'm sorry, but this Oneshot does not have Vlad in it. **

**Vlad Muse: "How dare you not write me into this oneshot? You promised me and your watchers that I would be in all of them!"**

**Me: "I did not 'promise' you would be in all of them! I said you would be in most!"**

**Vlad Muse: *growls* "This isn't over you insolent child!" *stalks away***

**Ahem. Sorry about that guys. And I'm sorry I can't give you a fresh-off-the-press oneshot right now. I made this a few months back, so it's not great. But hey, its something right?**

**Writers block is a killer.**

**Working on COE right now, so expect a new chapter…Idk sometime this month.**

**Anyway, onto the story!**

**101Oneshot Challenge:**

**2: Stormy Skies**

I lifted my face to the cool, grey, overcast sky, enjoying the feeling of the light rain drizzling down my face. I walked side by side with two of my most favorite people in the world, enjoying their company and the fact that ghosts hadn't bothered me all day. I knew I should be worried, but in all honesty, I didn't care if Pariah Dark escaped again. I was not going to battle anything today.

The air was thick with moisture, but the only rain that fell from the thick clouds was a small spray that seemed to coat everything it touched. My dull blue sweatshirt was looking a bit darker from the moisture, and my black hair was slicked down and plastered against my forehead. At my right, my friend (and secret crush. Don't tell Tucker.) Sam was also looking to the sky. Her similarly dark hair was also shining from tiny droplets of water. Her stunningly violet eyes were closed in pleasure, her face upturned, enjoying the exact same feeling I was.

Unfortunately, my other friend Tucker did not share our enthusiasm.

"Ugh! What is with the weather today? It's so wet and gross! My PDA is going to die from over exposure to water unless we get out of this sauna you call the air!" he complained loudly, trying to stuff all of the gadgets hanging from his pockets into his backpack to keep them safe. In his scrambling he hadn't noticed our sudden silence as we enjoyed the weather. When he finally did, we had both stopped, eyes closed, feeling the humidity on our faces. "Why do you guys like it so much anyway?" he demanded angrily, trying to hide his face from the droplets under his red beret. I sighed in exasperation.

"Tuck, this isn't even rain! It's just a light drizzle! It feels good! Plus nobody's in the park today because of it!" I gestured around the empty park for good measure, showing him the obvious lack of people. "Besides, we went to the nasty burger like you wanted. Let us hang in the park!" Tucker just grumbled, continuing to stuff his gadgets into the bag. Sam was also distracted from her stupor when the geek accidentally bumped into her. She didn't hesitate to push him away -hard- in annoyance.

"Danny's right Tucker! What's so bad about rain anyway? It makes the world seem so fresh and anew…" she argued with him. Tucker grumbled loudly, pulling himself from the ground with a huff. He straightened his beret with a quick jerk of his hand.

"Well I personally dislike being wet and cold. If you two lovebirds want to go off and fly around in the rain that's fine by me. Me? I'm going to go home and play doomed." Said Tucker with a small smile that turned into a grin when me and Sam both yelled 'We're not lovebirds!' at the same moment, then blushed angrily. He shrugged.

"Whatever you say. I've made my point. Hope to see you two on doomed tonight. Have fun doing whatever lovebirds do." The boy then saluted and bolted in the general direction of his house. Sam started after him but I held her back with a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't bother. He's useless." I said. She paused, considering whether or not she'd actually be able to catch him, then shrugged as well.

"Yeah, he's not really worth the effort." She agreed. "So…now what do you want to do?" she asked, glancing around the empty park. I wandered my own eyes around, looking for something interesting. I found nothing. Just wet grass, trees, and benches. The sky was getting slightly darker, signaling that the sun was steadily going down. Either that, or it was going to start raining soon. I always loved flying during storms. That suddenly gave me an idea. I looked at Sam with a smirk on my face.

"I know something we could do…" I said suspiciously, letting familiar cool rings drift over me. I let the malicious smile remain on my face through the transformation.

"Wha-DANNY?" She yelped as I scooped her up bridal style and shot up into the air. I flew slowly at first, but soon began to speed up. "What're you-AHH!" she screeched as I flew upward faster. The park was becoming much smaller, shrinking until the surrounding trees and buildings obscured it. Sam gripped the chest of my jumpsuit with fright, clutching the latex material with her black painted fingernails. We passed through the clouds, getting even wetter in the process, until we had broken through the thick vapor and into sunlight. I laughed happily, shaking the droplets off of my white hair like a dog and enjoying the slight temperature drop. Sam wasn't amused.

"What the hell Danny? You could've warned that you were going to grab me and fly me into the clouds!" Said Sam the moment she could breathe after screaming. I grinned, not at all intimidated by her tough girl façade.

"Aw, but that wouldn't have been nearly as fun! You should have seen your face!" I laughed. She crossed her arms angrily within mine.

"If you weren't the one holding me thousands of feet above the ground, I would so punch you right now." She snarled, her eyes flashing. "Now take me down!"

I pretended to consider her request, looking up as if in thought.

"Nah, I don't think I will." I said smugly. Sam looked somewhere between ready to kill me and terrified.

"Oh so help me Daniel James Fenton-"

"Sam."

"If you don't take me down this instant-"

"Sam!"

"I am going to punch your lights out!"

"SAM!"

"WHAT?"

"Look around!"

Her next words weren't really words at all, because it was then that she looked around and realized where it was that I had taken her, and let out a gasp of wonder.

The dark clouds were stirring and swirling beneath us, getting steadily larger and more menacing as it built up the inevitable storm. Some of the larger clouds to the west occasionally lit up with lightning and a faraway clash of thunder. The whole scene was strangely eerie and beautiful, but it was the sunset that took the cake.

A flaming ball of gold in the east lit up the sky and clouds from above with colors of pink, orange, and yellow. The light reflected off the clouds in strange, exotic ways that reminded me of the rising sun. It was an absolutely beautiful sight that was completely covered by the clouds when on the ground.

"…woah." She finally said, her mouth wide as she took in the stunning sight. I grinned.

"Am I forgiven?" I asked. She looked at me like I was insane.

"Hell no." She replied stoutly. Then she seemed to decide otherwise. "Well…maybe if you flew us higher, the low oxygen would change my mind" She said with a sheepish smile, holding closer to me. My grin matched hers, and we flew upward into the light.

**N/A: **

**Vlad Muse: "Aw, how cute. Little badger and the goth girl flying off into the sunset. *chuckles* What exactly inspired you to write this?"**

**Me: "Shut up! It's not that bad!"**

…

**Vlad Muse: "…It's pretty bad."**

**Me: "It's ok to write fluff sometimes! Now go away!"**

**Vlad Muse: "Grrrr, fine." *flies away***


	3. Lost

**N/A: I have had this sitting in my hard drive for about three months now. I was going to make it a full story but…I kinda lost the muse for it. If you want to adopt it, you can…just ask me first. K?**

**Ya'll are probably going to be really confused by the time this oneshot is over. I'll answer questions in the authors note at the end, K?**

**101 Oneshot Challenge:**

**3: Lost**

I don't know what to do.

For over twenty years, I have always known exactly what to do next. Where I would live, what companies I should buy, my goals were always so clear. Kill jack, build my wealth, win over Maddie, and own the packers. They were tough goals, but goals nonetheless. I haven't actually been torn on an issue since I began striving towards those very goals all those years ago.

This boy, the son of my enemy and love, completely threw all those plans out the window.

My original plan was to have him as a human son, if that. He had merely been an easily fixed variable in my plans. A pathetic human child that belonged to the person I truly cared about. Sure, having a son would be a nice addition to my plans; assuming that they had worked and Maddie joined me. But to be honest, I hadn't cared that much whether he decided to stay with me or not. Imagine my surprise when I discovered he was half ghost like myself. The very fact changed my entire plan; changed everything I had been working toward for two decades. I knew from the moment that I saw the confused, young ghost transform into Danny Fenton in my mansion that I would have to recalculate.

Sure I'd been working towards Maddie for a long, long time, and I still wasn't willing to give her up. But you have to remember that I believed I was the only of my kind for over twenty years. The loneliness that comes with such a thought is almost unbearable!

So what else am I to do when I find out that there's another: a child in fact! Should I ignore him and pretend that I don't even know he exists? Of course not! I didn't care about what trouble it would cause my plans and me; I was not going to let such a child escape from my grasp. And I was not going to let him grow in the same way I had. I would not allow such a horrid existence such as mine to befall another.

So I reset everything I had been working toward for him, in an attempt to win him as my own son. He never saw what it was that I could offer him. He saw me as the villain. This infuriated me to no end. Why couldn't he see how I could help him? Why couldn't he understand that I was on his side? Why can't he understand that I gave up so much so that he wouldn't have to lead the same life I did?

Though despite my anger and frustration, I knew it was only natural that he refuse. I probably would have done the same in his situation. Then again, my relationship with my own father was very different from Daniel's with Jack. I am certainly no stranger to paternal loyalty; up until my father betrayed me, I would have done anything for him. But still… I wish Daniel could look past his blind ignorance and see how much better a father and teacher I could be. I never stopped trying to win him over.

Now, when he finally comes to me, I don't know what to do.

I had been in my lab in Wisconsin, working on an invention that had been the object of my fascination for a while now. It was an object originally inspired by one of Jack's own creations. One that he used on me in fact. The ghost gauntlets.

I had seen the genius in the concept, even if it had been created by Jack. I don't think he ever saw the full potential in something that can pull specters from humans, but I did. What kind of amazing potential was in store for such a power? I even suspected that it might be able to pull the ghostly core from a halfa's human body! Even if I never used them, they would no doubt inspire other inventions for years to come.

I had no doubt that they would be useful at some point, though when exactly I wasn't sure. Just a gut feeling I suppose. That morning, I had been working in the wiring within the gloves, welding some of the final touches in the wires and sealing some of the tendon-like skeletal structures that would allow movement when being used by the wearer. Without such structures, the inventions would allow no movement and act more as metal hand armor than gloves. Finally switching off the welding gun, I lifted the goggles from my eyes and wiped the sweat from my brow. A satisfied smile broke out on my face as I beheld the nearly finished gloves.

They resembled human hand anatomy, only bigger. The inside was hollow, making the gloves look almost like something a cyborg would have attached to his arms. The entire thing was silver with red highlights and pink ectoplasm. I still had plans to add an aluminum or steel 'skin' over the wiring and machinery, but otherwise, they were fully functional at last.

For over six months I have worked on these. And even though they still had a few things that needed to be sorted out, they were undoubtly impressive.

I didn't know what I planned to do with them, but at that moment, I didn't really care.

I lifted the gloves up to eyelevel, ejecting the long, spindly claws from the fingertips and observing every side of the devices. _The possibilities are endless! _I thought happily, easily getting caught up in my own excitement.

Just at that moment, a familiar hot feeling began to work its way outward from my chest. At first I barely noticed it, ignoring the feeling and attributing my ghost sense to Skulker or some other weak specter. But it didn't stop. The feeling got stronger, spreading out from what felt like my heart and running through my veins. It started warm, but soon became hotter until it almost felt as though my very blood were burning. The liquid fire traced outward from my chest and down my arms, making me cringe slightly in surprise and shudder with discomfort. I coughed twice, withholding the red, smoky vapor that I knew would be exiting my mouth and nose had I not been in control.

My emotions flipped like a switch, the reason for change inconceivable to anyone else. My excited and fascinated grin immediately fell into an irritated scowl, and I growled as I returned the gloves carefully to the table and flipped the white sheet over them angrily. Without warning, dark, smoky rings passed over me changing me to my ghostly alter ego. _Whoever this is will be sorry he messed with Plasmius. I am not in the mood today._ I thought angrily as I flew up through the lab ceiling. Most ghosts knew not to challenge me, especially not here in my own home. Whoever this was either a worthy opponent or they had a suicide wish… but judging by the strength of my ghost sense, I was a bit worried that it was the former.

I half sighed in relief, half snarled as the unfamiliar entities ghostly core came close enough for me to recognize. Daniel. I can handle Daniel.

_He better not start anything._ I thought angrily as I flew straight through room after meaningless room in my mansion, heading in the direction that my ghostly core was leading me. _Then again, why else would he be here?_ I added on as an afterthought. The elusive pull of heat in my chest leading the way better than anything else could. I could tell by the strength of the pull that Daniel was somewhere on the grounds, possibly the football field or the nearby woods, so I headed in that basic direction. But I couldn't help but notice that his ghostly signature seemed…dulled, or weakened a bit. I was curious, but shrugged it off. Perhaps he was sick today, or maybe he had just returned from a ghost fight. Either way I didn't care. I would teach him to stay away from my home.

I sped out of the castle wall on the far left wing of the building, being nearly blinded by the sudden sunlight in my sensitive eyes. Judging by the sun, it was nearly noon, and I had been in the lab since early this morning.

_Maybe being interrupted was a good thing…_ I thought wonderingly as I enjoyed the feel of fresh air on my face and body. _I needed to get outside…but even so. That stubborn child is not going to try this again._ Of this fact I was positive.

I finally spotted him flying low near the edge of the woods, or should I say, floating, as he wasn't going anywhere. In fact, he looked almost as if he were debating whether he should continue on to my castle. His ghostly form was pacing in midair, as if there were an invisible surface underneath his feet. He occasionally stole glances toward my castle, murmuring things to himself that I couldn't understand. He hadn't seen me yet, so I quickly turned invisible: a sadistic grin on my face. He had no idea what he was getting into, coming here to trespass. This would be fun. Well, maybe not for him…

As I've often said, impressions are everything…

And that's why I dove into the ground invisibly, only to shoot out directly in front of the floating teen, my voice cackling with laughter that could only be described as evil. The boy, not expecting this at all, let out a cry and flew backward a good ten feet; landing in the soft, freshly cut grass below. For a moment he could do nothing but stare blindly up at me, blinking slowly as he registered who I was.

"Hello Daniel." I said with a malicious grin that didn't show my hidden annoyance at his appearance. I hovered before him, arms crossed across my chest. Daniel looked up at me from where he had landed, not getting up and saying nothing. I cocked my head sideways, leering at him.

"Any particular reason you decided to trespass upon my castle? Wisconsin is quite far from Amity Park you know." I added. But still the boy said nothing to me. He looked away, pulling himself to his feet and brushing invisible dust off of his shoulder. He then muttered something incomprehensible, rubbing his arm nervously.

I looked him over suspiciously. Surely this couldn't be Daniel? The boy I know wouldn't hesitate to attack at the mere sight of me. This teenager…wouldn't even look at me. And what is he doing here at all? It just didn't make sense! I thought he had come to pick a fight over something or other that I had done. But he wasn't fighting now…so then what was his purpose for coming at all?

I floated down in front of him, still not touching the ground and keeping my arms crossed. I didn't let down my guard, still suspicious that he was going to attempt something against me.

"What? Ghost cat got your tongue? Looking for a fight?" I jeered at the boy, trying to provoke his confident nature out from this passive mask. I didn't understand this behavior! Cocky, aggressive behavior I understood, as it was the norm for him. This…I can't even begin to understand. This isn't the Daniel I know! My own emotions were clouding my jeering as I taunted him some more, trying to 'pull him out of his shell'

I cut off my attempts when Daniel abruptly looked up at me, for the first time meeting my eyes. When I saw what they held, my words froze on my tongue.

His eyes, normally so bright and full of light, were dull, dead. His expression was so full of sorrow that it hurt me to look at him. Even the ghostly green glow that had always remained in his green eyes was gone. I hadn't even noticed before, but his entire posture was slumped, defeated. He looked unharmed, maybe exhausted, but unhurt.

I could do nothing but stare in shock at this abrupt revelation of emotions.

"…Daniel?" I asked worriedly after a moment at seeing his state. He looked away.

"Knew I shouldn't have come…" He muttered darkly before abruptly spinning around and taking off back from where he came. I could do nothing for a moment but stare after his retreating figure, and then I came to my senses and took off after him.

"Daniel wait!" I called after his speeding form. But he didn't stop. Dare I say he sped up? Daniel had always been much more agile than I when it came to flight, and it didn't take long for him to outfly me. We both became black and white blurs, comets, with our spectral tails trailing behind. We flew past the grounds, reaching the edge of the woods. Daniel sped up even faster. Once he was over a hundred meters ahead I gave up and teleported directly in front of him with a swirl of pink mist. He hadn't been expecting it and crashed into my chest with a yelp. To prevent his escape, I pinned his forearms to his sides. He responded through thrashing wildly in an attempt to escape.

"Gah-Vlad!" He cried, trying to worm his way from my grip.

"Let-let go of me!"

"Not until you tell me why you came!"

"G-get away!"

"Daniel! What's wrong?" I demanded, shaking him quickly in an attempt to snap him out of his blind hysteria. If anything, he thrashed harder, his panicked gaze flickering around the area in a desperate plea for escape. He was so distressed he didn't even seem to remember that he could fight me off.

"N-no! Leave me-just leave me alone!" he cried out desperately, trying to pull away from my hands, his attempts getting more and more frantic and sloppy. He finally broke one of his arms from mine long enough to send a quick, powered uppercut to my jaw, sending me flying back with the force of a moving truck.

I managed to stop my tumbling after just one flip backward, as I was accustomed to such extremities during our battles. But even so, I was in the shock that could only be induced through being punched in the face. Once I had straightened myself in midair, I lifted two gloved fingers to my mouth, only to pull them away stained pink. For a moment I could only stare incredulously at my own ectoplasm in my hand, then look up at Daniel, who was floating ten feet away.

I wasn't as surprised that he'd gotten a hit on me, as I was that he had hit that hard. Even in our everyday battles he usually held some restraint when it came to physical power. Though it was obvious that this ambush had been a panic induced attempt at self-defense, not a planned attack.

Daniel stared back at me with an equally shocked expression, as if he himself was surprised that he had dared do it. He looked afraid of me: though it was probably a well-earned emotion all things considered. I wasn't angry though. I was much too concerned about the reasoning behind his panic than I was his actions.

"…Daniel?" I said tentatively, my cocky facade long gone; replaced by a somber expression. He didn't answer with words, but let out a choked sob, hiding his face behind his hands and turning away in midair. I couldn't see his face anymore, but I did see the glowing tears that slipped between his cupped fingers. And I could hear and see shaking sobs emerge from his throat.

At first I didn't understand what it was I was feeling, as I hadn't truly felt in in years. I didn't like seeing him like this. But why? He was so vulnerable, so open and broken...isn't that what I wanted? Didn't I want to break him? Didn't I want him to come running back to me?

I had always thought that if I had ever succeeded in breaking him I would be joyous, happy, even ecstatic. But this behavior...it didn't make me happy at all. It made me angry. Angry and sad. Only I am allowed to cause him such pain! After all, it's for his greater good, even when I beat him until he can't walk. It prepares him, keeps him on his toes, and wears down his resolve against joining me.

But this wasn't physical pain, this was emotional, something I am definitely no stranger toward. And for the first time in twenty years, I felt sympathy. It literally hurt deep in my chest for him. I wasn't entirely sure what was causing these feelings. After all, I have never before spared him a second glance after beating him into submission. But at that moment, I hated whatever had done this to my little badger. In these last two years I had learned that Daniel was strong, unbending. Not even I could break him: believe me, I've tried. So then what was it that had caused this?

I wanted to tear whatever or whoever it was to pieces.

So I just floated there, staring at the previously strong willed teenager that was breaking down in front of me, and trying to come to terms with my own emotions. I eventually decided to try to communicate, as maybe then I could figure out what was making me feel this way.

"Daniel please!" I begged, floating toward him slowly as not to startle him. "Tell me what is wrong! I can help you with whatever this is! Are your ghost powers acting up, or-" I broke off my pleading very suddenly, as Daniel had raced at me at full speed and wrapped his arms around my torso, eyes closed tightly as heaving sobs wracked his frame. I lifted my hands up and away from him in surprise, my eyes widening as I floated backward slightly. Daniel followed, arms still wrapped around me tightly; almost possessively, so desperate for comfort he didn't care that I was his enemy.

"They-they left m-me alone…" He cried into my chest, clutching my jumpsuit frantically in his fists. His face was hidden, probably his way of trying to retain some pride. Though right now, I hardly cared about his pride. Finally getting over my complete and utter surprise at his actions, I gave in to what felt natural and hesitantly hugged him back. He cried harder, clutching me closer.

"Daniel who? Who left you?" I asked, lifting his chin worriedly so I could see his tear streaked face. His shining green eyes sparkled with betrayal and sorrow, leaking tears that fell freely to the ground far below. His voice cracked as he answered.

"M-mom and d-dad. Didn't believe m-me. T-tried to shoot me down w-when I showed them. I tried to do good Vlad! Why can't they believe me? I'm a good kid!" his voice cracked several times in his speech, voice full of complete hopelessness. I didn't understand what exactly had happened to him, but I could tell that the last question was not entirely rhetorical. He needed an answer, even if it wasn't the one he wanted to hear. I gave in to what my heart was begging me to do and buried his face in my chest as I embraced him, rubbing soothing circles in his back.

"I don't know Daniel..." I said sadly, trying to put as much sympathy into that single phrase as I could. His tears stained the front of my jumpsuit, the soaked white material clenched in his pale fists. His actions contained a desperation that I didn't think was possible of him. He didn't speak for a few minutes, too caught up in his temporary comfort to talk. I held him close, murmuring empty reassurances in his ears and trying to give whatever comfort I could.

Eventually his tears stopped falling, though his shoulders still shook with dry sobs. He was determinedly not looking at me, probably out of shame in his weakness. But I didn't care. He could try to hide all he wanted, as long as he didn't break down like that again. I ran my fingers through his hair, looking at the white, soft locks. At some point we had drifted down to the grass below, his small form in my lap. For a while all was silent, and only the shaking of Daniels limbs gave evidence that he was still awake. I could've spoken long ago, but something seemed to hold me back. I just had a feeling that he needed to talk to me first. So I waited.

We sat together in the sun for almost half an hour, cool breeze shifting our glowing hair and causing my cape to billow behind me. Its times like these that I'm glad to live secluded in Wisconsin. I thought dreamily, watching the pine trees sway in the wind and produce the echoed rustling. The grass so soft, the trees so wide, and my son in my arms, for I saw him as such.

"...Vlad?" barely a whisper, throat hoarse. I looked down at his face, finally revealed from its place in my chest. He looked so...broken.

"Yes Daniel?" I asked slowly and comfortingly. He sighed softly.

"...I...I'm sorry..."

I held him closer, resting my chin on his head.

"Don't be, little badger." I replied. He closed his eyes, obviously exhausted from his flight to Wisconsin and his earlier emotional breakdown. I swept a lock of hair from his closed eyes, not entirely sure what to do. I only knew that we couldn't stay out here forever, and that he badly needed rest to recover. That meant going back to my mansion.

"...Daniel?" I called him softly. He opened his tired, broken green eyes to look up at me. Not speaking, but showing me he was listening.

"It's time we headed to my castle. You don't have to walk; I can carry you. Is that alright?" I asked him, my tone melancholy; as if I were half afraid he would refuse. He only stared up at me. And after a moment's hesitation, he nodded.

And so with him I rose into the air, careful not to stir the teen who was cradled against me like an infant. I drifted upward slowly, heading in the general direction of my castle. As I approached the mansion, my thoughts turned to the future.

Daniel can't go home. I won't let him if it causes him this amount of pain. No. He will stay with me until I can figure out what has happened to him. Perhaps...perhaps I may even be able to one day call him my son. Maybe this whole thing, whatever it is, will work to my advantage.

I looked down at Daniel, to see him looking up at me. His emerald eyes were dull, half lidded from exhaustion, and he was looking up at me as if I were his only comfort left. He was watching me without fear, as if he didn't care that I was his enemy. In fact, he looked more like he didn't care what I did with him. I knew in that moment, that I could kill him and he would be grateful.

I swallowed once as my planning thoughts shattered and my heart melted. Who am I to take advantage of this boys trust? He's putting his life in my hands. I hugged him closer as I flew on, lost in my own thoughts.

Dear God what am I going to do?

**N/A: Hehe, cliffhanger…sorta.**

**Ok, so the story is Danny revealed his secret to his parents because they had him cornered and were going to knock him out and dissect him. When he did, they flipped out and started screaming about how a ghost could never be their son. The distraction allowed him to escape. Sam and Tuck were going out, and Danny, being distant from them lately, didn't go to stay with them. Jazz is in college, and so the only option left for him to stay with is…**

**Yeah. Didn't really think about what would happen past that. Thus, this is a oneshot.**

**So yeah. Go crazy on the reviews guys!**


	4. Civility

**101Oneshot Challenge:**

**4: Civility**

"Good morning Daniel."

Dammit I hate that pompous jerk's voice. And yet, under the watchful glare of my dad and not-so-willing-mom, I say:

"Morning Vlad." My voice manages to sound somewhat civil despite the barely hidden growl attached. Of course he responds with a smile-more of a smirk really-of knowingness.

"Did you sleep well?" He knows full well that I didn't. It's his fault that I can't sleep with a frootloop in my room! Why does dad make him sleep in my room? MY ROOM?

"Yep." I barely manage to hold back a spiteful retort. After all, Mom and Dad wouldn't want me to be rude to a _guest_ would they? So instead I pretend that I didn't stay up all night watching him across my room to make sure he doesn't kill dad in my sleep. I ignore the bags of sleep-deprivation under my eyes.

"So Daniel, I need to go run some errands today. It will only be a few hours. Would you like to come?" He shoots me that stupid knowing smirk. The same one he gives me every time he has an advantage over me. I'm about to tell him to bite me when I catch my dad's gaze.

"Of course he'll go! Won't you Danny-boy?" Dad interrupts excitedly, his tone implying I have no say in the matter. No. Freaking no.

No way I'm going to the store on a Saturday with that jerk.

Nuh uh, I'm gonna stay right here.

Maybe I'll go to the movies with Tuck, or maybe Sam.

Or maybe…

"Sure, I'll go."

…

Fml.

**N/A: What is this I don't even…**

**Vlad Muse: O.o**


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